All Along, You've Been There
by elysemakenna
Summary: All her life, he's been there. He looked after her from a distance, until she came back looking for him, and after that, he just couldn't be rid of her. Not that he wanted to be.
1. When They Met

**A/N: I first wrote this story back in march for the 30 day OTP Challenge and published it elsewhere, but now I've put it here, completely finished. There is a sequel currently in progress, which will be added after this is completely uploaded. **

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The first time they meet, she's only two years old. Her arrival in his home was an unexpected accident, but when she looked back on it, it was the best thing that ever happened to her. After his (and the other Guardians') initial surprise at finding her, he happily welcomed her, and began to show her around.

All the Guardians were there, but she only clearly remembers him, the way he knelt with her beside the eggs blossoming from tulips, and let her ride on his back between the coloring flowers. She watched with him as the eggs were decorated for Easter, and as the first one came around, he had her pick it up, then he took her hand and guided her to sit and watch as the eggs made their way towards the tunnels.

She doesn't remember what happened next, but somehow she ended up back at home, safe in her bed. She can't even recall what happened over the next few days. She remembers that saw him once more shortly after that night, but that's all she knows.


	2. Holding Hands

It takes Sophie three years before she questions what happened that Easter Eve, but her big brother Jamie is happy to fill in the missing pieces. The tale he tells fills her with joy, but he can't account for what happened in the night. Right after he'd watched Abby chase the Easter Bunny around his room, he was put to sleep by the Sandman. Next thing he knew, it was Easter morning and there weren't any eggs to be found. If she really wanted to know what happened, she could just ask Jack Frost.

And ask she did. The first moment the winter spirit (and that is what he is, though she only thought he was simply a very unusual boy until then) arrived after that, she hurried to ask him about her night down in the Warren. The question made Jack frown, and he looked as though he were remembering things better left forgotten, but he tells her anyway, confirming all she remembers.

When she asked him to take her to see the Easter Bunny, he has to explain that he has been banished from the Warren til after Easter. The brokenhearted look on Sophie's face was enough to make him promise to get Bunnymund (because that is his name; who knew the Easter Bunny had a name?) to come see her, no matter how many channels he had to go through, or favors he has to use. The promise was enough to make her happy again, and she hurried home to wait.

Sophie expected it to take a few days for Jack to get in touch with Bunnymund, but that same night she woken by a soft touch on her shoulder. She doesn't open her eyes at first, telling Jamie to leave her alone. When she felt the touch again, she swatted the hand. At the third shake, she sat up, ready to tell her brother off, but when she saw the owner of the hand, she gasped.

"You came!" she squealed before hopping up to hug him.

"Of course I came," he said with a grin, hugging her back. "I heard you were lookin for me and I rushed right here." She snuggled into his arms then before pulling back to look up right at him.

"Do you come whenever you are called?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't have to leave soon for another child.

"Naw, I don't visit just anyone," he said.

"Does that make me special?" Sophie asked, sitting on the bed and taking his hand in hers.

"The most special," he told her, making her giggle with delight. "Now, ya need to get back to sleep."

"Aw, but you just got here," she said, pouting up at him.

"Yeah, but ya got school tomorrow," he said, helping her back under the covers. "An' I just came to tell ya that yer allowed to call when ya need me. Not all the time now, cause I have work to be done. As long as yer good, and there's time, I'll come right to ya." Sophie happily nodded before yawning.

"Will you stay until I sleep then?" she asked him. He smiled at her and nodded, sitting down on the floor beside her bed and taking her hand. Sophie squeezed his hand, reminding herself that he was real. She mumbled a goodnight and closed her eyes as sleep. All through the night, she felt his hand holding hers and she smiled, dreaming of painting eggs with him for Easter.


	3. Cuddling

Sophie grinned as she looked down at the snowglobe in her hands, the image of the Warren already showing through. All it needed was a toss and she could be there in a moment. She peeked out the window to check that her mom was still busy, then she threw the globe so the portal appeared.

Just like the first time, she swooped through and her stomach did a flip, but it was over in a moment, landing right in the center of the Warren beside the Coloring River. A group of nearby eggs were startled, and they scattered quickly, leaving her to giggle. Their flight caught the attention of a stone egg sentinel. In a moment it was on guard, turning to come after the intruder, but when it saw that it was only her, it stopped in its tracks.

Sophie giggled and rushed over to hug it before asking it to take her to Bunnymund. It gave a little bow, then turned and led the way though the Warren. She looked around as they walked, stopping more than once to examine some wonder or other. The sentinel stopped each time she did, waiting patiently for her to be ready to move on.

There was so much to see, and she stopped so often that it took nearly an hour to travel the short distance from the River to Bunnymund. When they finally reached him, she stopped once again to stare.

Bunnybund sat on the porch of a large, egg-shaped cottage. The outer walls were covered with brightly colored flowering vines, making the building look much like one of the lovely eggs he was currently painting. The windows were egg shaped, with colored glass, adding to the overall beauty of the building. Sophie had never seen anything so pretty, and it took a moment for her to realize her name was being called.

"Oh, hi Bunny!" she said when she finally heard him calling her.

"Whatcha doing here?" Bunnymund asked, surprise clear on his face. "How'd ya get in?"

"I asked Santa for a way to visit you and he brought me a snowglobe for Christmas," Sophie said, frowning in worry that she'd upset him, but he only laughed and nodded.

"Course he did," he said, shaking his head and coming to greet her with a hug. "Ya've been on the Nice List since you were born, he had no choice but to give ya what ya asked for." Sophie smiled at the hug, then grinned fully when he picked her up and carried her to the porch of his cottage.

"You're not upset that I came, are you?" she asked, just to be sure.

"Naw," he said, setting her beside him and handing her an egg and a brush. "Glad ya came now, actually. Easter's commin and soon I'll be busy. Wouldn wanna be too distracted ta spend time with ya." Sophie nodded and smiled, beginning to paint the egg he gave her. When it was finished, he helped her add some glitter, then sent it on its way.

Sophie watched it run off and smiled before crawling into Bunnymund's lap. He smiled down at her and pulled her close, cuddling her gently.

"We'll have to do something extra fun before you have to get busy," she told him, and he nodded in agreement. They sat together, watching the eggs running around. After a few minutes, they shifted to a more comfortable position, and after that, they stayed that way for a while. Sometimes she pet his fur, causing him to gently grind his teeth together, and sometimes he nuzzled her head with his chin, but mostly, they just watched the eggs.

After a while, Bunnymund sat up. "I think yer gonna have to go," he told her gently, making her pout. "Aw, come on, now, it's been a while here. Yer mom's gonna be lookin for ya." Sophie still pouted, but she nodded, knowing soon enough, Jamie would come home and if she didn't reappear when he did, there would be questions to answer, and much worrying.

"Well, alright," she said, hopping up so he could take her home. "But you had better let me come back for Easter! I want to paint the eggs again!" Bunnymund laughed at that and nodded, picking her up before opening a tunnel to her room.

"It's a date," he said, hopping into the tunnel, moving her to his back so he could run freely. "But I promise ta see ya at least once more before that."

Sophie smiled and nodded at that. Once back in her room, she hugged him goodbye, and soon he was back down the hole. With a little sigh, she frowned and bundled up in her winter clothes. She still needed to sneak out and get to Jamie so her mom wouldn't suspect a thing.


	4. Watching A Movie

"Looks more like an elephant seal than a rabbit," Bunnymund muttered, staring at the TV screen in irritation. "Though the accent ain't too bad." Sophie giggled up at him, rolling her eyes just a little.

It was a day before the Easter Rush would start and Bunnymund would become busy, but just as promised, he'd come to spend the day with her. They'd played for a while out in the park, but then her mom had called her and Jamie in so she could go to the store. Currently Jamie was playing video games up in his room with Jack, leaving her to watch a movie with Bunnymund.

Sophie had been quick to pick her favorite Easter themed movie, but as the movie played, Bunnymund's comments worried her over her choice.

"Oh, but look at that factory!" he said, shaking his head. "All mechanical and cold! There's no heart going into it! He's not even making it himself, it's all those bloody chickens doing it. And who would use chickens anyway? They're incompetent! Not half as reliable as eggs! And look, that one's plotting! Eggs don't plot against ya like that."

"That's the point of the movie," Sophie told him, frowning now. "You have to watch."

"I am watching," he said. "I just don' know why they're wastin time on those other lollies. Chokkie and googies, thas wha its about!"

"Bunny!" Sophie pouted, shoving him. "You're making up words again, and we're supposed to be watching."

"Those are real words," he assured her, frowning back at the screen. "O'Hare? Is that supposed to be clever? If they wanted to be clever they could have just called him Cunningham. That woulda been clever!"

"Bunn-" "Hm, not a bad looking ship. Making himself a bit too obvious thou- Oi, wait, that's a sleigh! Why would the Easter Bunny be needing a sleigh!"

Sophie groaned loudly and laid over the arm of the sofa, waiting for him to finish. When he did finally fall silent, she peeked over at him, frowning at his expression.

"I don't even know what's going on here," he said. Sophie sat up further, hoping he would be quiet now as he tried to understand what was going on at the dinner scene. He did manage to keep his mouth shut until the movie switched scenes again.

"And back to the chickens," he muttered. "Oh, drums, that's a good use of a Pooka's talents." He rolled his eyes before gasping slightly. "Oh, that globe! Look at that globe! Might have to get somethin like that fer me!" Sophie groaned and kicked him in the side, and in the silence that came with him frowning at her, he seemed to catch up on the plot.

"Aw, that's tragic! Why can't that kit follow his dreams?" he said, leaning in. "Shame he doesn wanna be the Easter Bunny, but really, why not let him do what he pleases?" Sophie just sighed and shrugged, no longer paying attention to the movie, just waiting for his next comment, which was quick in coming.

"That is not what those heads are for!" he called, obviously offended now. "And that's careless use of the tunnels right there! Irresponsible, all of this!" Sophie sighed as he went on, wondering after the human presence in the movie, then they seemed to reach the last straw, but it wasn't Sophie who snapped and tuned off the movie.

"Why would they even reference that in a children's move?" Bunnymund demanded in anger as Sophie leaned over the arm of the sofa once more.

"I don't even know what the big deal is," she told him, staring at the now dark screen. "They were just talking about sexy bunnies." He looked at her in horror for a moment before shaking his head.

"Ya don't need to know what that's about," he told her. "An I don' wantcha watchin that any more."

"Fine," she said, huffing and rolling from her seat before crawling across the floor to the DVD player. She ejected the disk and put it in the case before offering it up to him. As an after though, she picked out a few other movies and handed them over. "I'm sure these are offending too."

Bunnymund looked at the titles and shook his head at each one. He slipped the stack to the side before looking back at the pouting girl in front of him.

"Why not pick somethin else to watch?" he suggested, only to receive a skeptical look. "Come on, you've got heaps of movies there, I'm sure you got one you wanna watch."

Sophie eyed him doubtfully once more before picking out another movie, her almost favorite(well, favorite now, since he'd confiscated the first one), and handed it to him. He looked down at the title and grinned before nodding.

"Good choice," he said, heading back to the sofa while she set it up. Once it was ready, she rushed over to the sofa and climbed up beside him, smiling as she hit play.

The movie played through without interruption, and when it ended, Bunnymund stood, and stretched before telling her it was time to go. Sophie pouted at the news but nodded, hugging him goodbye.

"Don't forget about our date!" Sophie said with a little giggle, and Bunnymund laughed and nodded.

"Course not," he said, hugging her once more. "I'll see you in a few days." She hugged him back and nodded, and after she released him, he hopped into his tunnel and disappeared to get started on his work for Easter.

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A/N:

**The movie they try to watch is 'Hop'. I had never seen it before last night, when I turned it on and deliberately put my mind into Bunnymund's head. Or tried to. This is the result.**

**The 'offending' movies she gives him are things like 'Jack Frost'(with the snowman guy) 'Fred Claus', 'Tooth Fairy' with Dwayne Johnson and other such things.**

**The movie they watch at the end is Beauty and the Beast.**


	5. On a Date

**A/N: Okay, so not actually a date, since she's still young, but close enough.**

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The Saturday before Easter, Sophie was up with the sun, much to her mother's displeasure. Fortunately, Jamie got up just after her and helped her with breakfast, allowing their mom to finish sleeping.

The moment she finished eating, she rushed to sit on the porch and wait for Bunnymund. He'd promised to be there for her, so they could paint a last round of eggs for the next day, and she fully intended to be ready the moment he arrived.

Just as promised, Bunnymund arrived with Jack. There was a look of obvious guilt on the younger Guardian's face, and anger on Bunnymund's, but he smoothed it over for Sophie as best he could.

"Ya ready to go?" he asked her, coming over for a quick hug, scooping her up at the same time. She nodded and said goodbye to Jamie, who was going to pretend he was with her at the park so their mom wouldn't worry. Quickly they headed down one of the tunnels, her riding on his back once more.

"We got heaps of work to do," he said as he ran. "That frostbitten galah froze the River last night. Barely got it thawed an hour ago." Sophie fought a giggle, knowing it was serious. she didn't know what a galah was, but she could guess it wasn't something very nice.

The moment they arrived in the Warren, he helped her off his back, then led her to where many, many eggs were waiting for coloring. He showed her just what to do to get the eggs started, and after that, they began to work. It was a long process, though not exactly hard, and they were able to talk. Sophie had a lot of fun, and after a few hours, Bunnymund called it quits and led her to his little cottage.

"All caught up now," he said, taking her hand as he led her inside. "A little ahead, actually " Sophie grinned and nodded, looking around the interior. It was quite ordinary, at least compared to what she had been expecting. The furniture was all brightly colored, and either soft plush or natural wood, and the whole place smelled of freshly blooming flowers.

Bunnymund led her though to a kitchen and had her sit at the table. It was made of a pretty red wood that shined, unlike the other wooden furniture. The whole room smelled of chocolate, and seemed all around much more lived in than the first room they passed through. Before she could ask about it, he was turning and placing a plate before her, and setting down one for himself.

The meal was a variety of steamed vegetables, potato soup, and some sort of salad that had strange but tasty dark green leaves rather than the light green lettuce that she was used to. She was happy to finish every bite, talking with Bunnymund all the while. When lunch was done, he offered her a choice of carrot or chocolate cake, and she practically fell from her chair asking for chocolate.

Once more, they finished up quickly and Bunnymund let out a little sigh.

"Gotta take you home now," he said, clearing the table. "Got some eggs ta finish up on, and I wanna make sure ya get home for some rest tonight."

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked, standing and taking his hand as he led her outside.

"Course you will!" he said, grinning. "I'll be much less busy, so we can spend more time together."

"Good! I wanna spend a week at least with you, every day!" Bunnymund laughed at that but nodded his agreement.

"Awright, we'll try that then," he said, opening a tunnel and helping her though. "Every day for one full week, I'll come see ya." Sophie squirmed in delight and giggled, holding on tight as he moved her to his back and hurried along. They emerged in the park just in time to hear her mom calling for her and Jamie.

"Thanks for the fun!" Sophie said, turning to hug him. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yea, tomorrow," he agreed with a nod, hugging her once more.

Sophie grinned as he went, then she turned and hurried to find Jamie so they could head home.


	6. Kissing

**A/N: Sad to report a short chapter here. There's only so much I can do with kissing and the age difference and all at the moment.**

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Easter dawned bright and early, with only a slight frost across the grass and windows. The last three years there'd been a light layer of snow as well, but Sophie guessed that Jack didn't want to hang around and be caught by Bunnymund after the River freezing indecent It was better this way, in her opinion It meant she didn't have to bundle up quite so much when she went with Jamie to the park.

After a hurried breakfast, Sophie all but dragged Jamie from the house to the park, her basket tight in hand. She passed several obviously hidden eggs, more anxious to see Bunnymund than anything. She couldn't say why though. He'd promised to be there, so he would, she was sure.

They entered the park soon enough, and while Jamie met with his friends, Sophie began her hunt for Bunnymund. Only a few minutes into her search she began to tear up, so that when the Pooka finally did appear, she was crying hard.

He popped up from his tunnel and his smile instantly turned to a frown when she rushed into his arms, kissing his nose and hugging him tight.

"What's tha matter, ankle biter?" Bunnymund asked, scooping her up and hugging her back, looking around for the cause of her troubles.

"I t-thought you weren't coming," she said, hiding her face against his chest.

"What?" he asked in surprise, frowning at himself now. "Why would ya think that? I promised I would come, and here I am."

"I-I had a nightmare!" she said, sniffling and wiping her tears as she suddenly remembered the cause of her feeling. "I t-thought you were n-never coming back!" Bunnymund's eyes darken at the word 'nightmare' and his hold on her tightens.

"Well, I am here now," he said, looking around them as though even the smallest shadow was holding something sinister. "It was justa bad dream. Don' worry about it. I'll always be here for you." He kissed her head lightly and Sophie nodded. Her tears calmed soon enough as he rubbed her ack and assured her everything would be alright. When she finally calmed completely, he kissed her head once more then set her down.

"Now, are you gonna go find yerself some googies or did all my work go fer nothin?" he asked, relieved when she giggled.

"You won't go anywhere?" she asked.

"Won't move from this spot," he promised holding a hand up in oath. Sophie nodded and hugged him tight once more, and when he kissed her head, she planted a kiss on his nose before running off to hunt down some eggs.


	7. Wearing Each Other's Clothes

Bunnymund repressed a sigh as he sat across the table from Sophie as she expertly poured him some tea, smiling in pride.

"I've had lots of practice with the play tea set I got for my birthday," she tells him, passing him his cup and offering him a cookie. He accepts both without complaint, though he's itching to have a fit if he can't get up and move soon. After sliding off the chair, he sank to the ground and stretched out his legs to keep them from going numb.

"Soph, hon, can't we do somethin else?" he asked, flinching back from the pout she offered him.

"You promised we could spend a whole week doing whatever I wanted," she said, setting down her cup and crossing her arms, a sure sign of an oncoming pout marathon.

"I know, I know," he said quickly, holding up his hands to her. "But Soph, it's been hours sittin here. My legs are gonna fall off if I don' move. I was made to move you know." Sophie regarded him for a moment, still preparing to pout, but after a moment, she grinned.

"Alright, we can get up," she said, hopping up. "But, you're gonna have to show me something special!"

"Like what?" he asked, standing properly now and hopping slightly to get the blood flowing back to his toes.

"I don't know," she said, finishing her tea off. "Something you don't show other people, like a hidden cave here or your secret sketch book!" Bunnymund laughed then and nodded, knowing what to show her that wouldn't be any harm. He sat long enough to finish his tea and cookie, then he extended a hand to her.

"Ya can't tell anyone about this," he said. "Wouldn' want certain folk comin' in here uninvited." Sophie nodded, knowing by now just exactly who that certain folk was. By now she'd seen enough interaction between Jack and Bunnymund to know there was something up, but she couldn't guess what that was. She could say, though, that Jack was the one who had a bigger problem with Bunnymund than the pooka had with him.

Before she could think too much about it, the Pooka was leading her into his cabin and up some stairs. She hadn't been on the second floor before, and she was ready to explore, but he shook his head and pulled open a door, revealing a set of stairs.

"All the way up," he said, taking her hand and leading her in, shutting the door behind them. When Sophie looked around, she realized they were in his attic. The ceiling was made of glass so natural light shined in, making the room bright enough to see, and there was a slight smell of garden soil that's been untouched for a while. All around them there was an assortment of boxes and chests, which she was surprised to realize were rectangular rather than egg shaped.

"This is where I keep all the important things from my past," Bunnymund said softly, his voice changing just slightly. "You can look at anything you want, but if I ask you to put something back, please do." Sophie nodded and he sat at the top of the stairs, and as she began to poke through things, she realized his accent had been all but gone when he spoke. She wanted to ask about it, but she decided not to. Some things weren't meant to he talked about.

Towards the back of the room, Sophie was pleased to find an egg shaped trunk made of some golden metal. It opened slowly, as though it had been shut for a very long time, but the treasures inside were lovely. There were a number of eggs, each a different size, color, and apparently, material, along with a book filled with strange writing and seemingly random sketches.

At the bottom, under everything, Sophie found what she thought had to be the best thing ever. The coat was old with time, but well made, and the shade of green reminded her exactly of Bunnymund's eyes. She grinned happily and pulled it on before going back to Bunnymund.

"Look at this!" she said, holding the hem up so she wouldn't trip over it. Bunnymund grimaced before laughing.

"Forgot about that old thing," he said, his voice light, his accent back. "Looks good on ya. We should make it fit betta though." He knelt and began to fix it up, but every time he tried, the ruffles of her costume dress got in the way. She slipped it off so she was in her tee shirt and short, and he managed to fix up the coat.

"This is great!" Sophie said, spinning around in the coat like it was a marvelous gown. "Where'd this come from?"

"Oh, I've had it for a while," he said, touching the sleeve. "Once Easter became popular, I stopped wearin it cause it got in my way while tryin to run. " Sophie nodded before noticing her abandoned costume and grabbing it.

"Now you wear this!" she said, and Bunnymund laughed.

"I can fit that, hon," he said, ruffling her hair, but she batted his hand away.

"You could if you got small again!" she insisted, and when his ears drooped, she knew she was right.

"Aw, Soph, please don' make me get small," he said.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, looking up at him with shining eyes. His ears were plastered to his back then, and he fought a little sigh.

"No, it doesn't hurt," he said, letting himself take the small form. Sophie giggled when she saw him, and she hurried over and pulled the costume dress onto him.

"Aw, you look so cute!" she said, snuggling him to her chest.

"Right, cute," he muttered, catching a glimpse of them together in an old mirror. The sight made him smile, and despite his embarrassment, he couldn't help but think it was much better than just sitting and drinking tea.


	8. Cosplaying

"Now, you have to stay in character the whole time," Sophie said as she fixed the front of Bunnymund's coat. "Though that shouldn't be hard for you." She giggled slightly and he huffed, turning to look at himself in the mirror.

"Well, it's not the worst thing I've been forced into," he said, looking at himself in the mirror. "Why do I even have to wear this? Almost no one is going to see me."

"But some will," Sophie said, fixing her dress so it hung straight. "And our outfits have to match." Not to mention it was a sort of punishment for not coming with her to the convention the last few years. If she hadn't been paying attention the last five years, she wouldn't have been able to trick him into coming this year either. "You don't have to come you know. Jack really seemed excited about it."

"Oh no, that troublemaker is not being left in charge of ya," he said, shaking his head quickly. "Not okay, not at all. He'd probably leave ya there, or pull some stupid prank and leave ya ta take the blame!" He huffed in anger, and Sophie hid a smile, somewhat because she was glad he was so protective of her, but mostly because she was proud she knew just how to manipulate him.

"Okay, okay, I get it," she said, correcting her wig before smiling up at him. "But he will be there if Jamie decides to come after all."

"Yeah, well, hopefully he'll do the smart thing and keep up his stddyin," he said. "Where'd ya get these costumes anyway?"

"oh, I made them," she mumbled, looking down at her golden gown, then glancing at his gold and blue coat. "Um, mom styled my wig though," she added quickly, not quite getting the look on his face.

"Soph, hon, that's amazin!" he said. "They look professional, straight from the movie!"

"Oh, they aren't that great," she said, although she smiled with pride at the compliment. "I've just seen the movie so many times..."

"Wait, are ya sayin ya didn use a pattern?" he asked, making her blush.

"I did," she said, nodding. "But I did come up with it myself." Bunnymund stared at her, amazed and at a loss for words. Finally he cleared his throat and smiled at her.

"You got a real talent here, Soph," he said proudly. "Ya should think of doin more with it." She wanted to ask what he meant, but her mom called up then, telling her it was time to go.

"Well, shall we be off, my little Beauty?" Bunnymund asked, bowing to her and making her grin.

"Why yes, my dear Beast," Sophie said, fighting giggles and taking his hand. "Let's be off to the ball!" They laughed together and headed downstairs hand in hand, and for what seemed to be the millionth time in the past eight years, Bunnymund had no regrets over doing something embarrassing.


	9. Shopping

The mall was incredibly crowded, making it hard for Bunnymund to go very far without nearly being walked though. While some could see him, they were usually youngsters, and even if they avoided him, their parents wouldn't even notice. If Sophie hadn't been so insistent about him coming along while she spent her birthday money, he wouldn't have come near such a busy place.

Years ago, he would never have allowed a barely twelve year old child to have such influence over him, but she had opened a door in his heart to new experiences. He was more than happy to go on outings like this with her, especially since she got him out of his shell.

"Where to next?" he asked, watching her eye each store name they passed. They would be heading back to some, since she had a process for choosing where to go that didn't yet make any sense to him.

"Hm, it's... oh, there!" Sophie said, hurrying though the crowd, forcing Bunnymund to dodge his way between people to avoid getting walked through. When he finally caught up with her, she was in the center of the accessories store, admiring the glittery hair things, babbling about the different designs she could use them for.

"Find anythin ya like?" he asked when he came over to her.

"Just everything!" Sophie said with the kind of enthusiasm only a girl her age could muster. It made Bunnymund laugh, and filled him with his own sort of happiness, but there was a hint of sadness there too.

She was growing up so quickly in his eyes, and he feared she may stop believing. Though, if her brother were any example to go by, that wouldn't happen. Even now, in his college years, Jamie still believed firmly in the Guardians. Bunnymund grudgingly credited Jack with that. He still had yet to figure out what the boy's problem with him was, but he was pretty sure he was close.

Before he could think much further, Sophie was shaking his arm to get his attention.

"Bunny, where'd ya go?" she asked him, tugging his fur lightly. "You're thinking awfully hard." Bunnymund shook himself and smiled down at her before ruffling her hair, making her squeal a complaint.

"Sorry, hon, I was just wonderin about Jack," he told her honestly. He had to tell her the truth; she could read him too well by now for him to try otherwise.

"Oh, he just has a stick up his butt," she said, laughing and tugging him out of the store. He laughed a little in response, but still remained distracted. Sophie frowned as she watched him for a few steps, then she abruptly turned, tugging him with and hurrying along.

"Whoa, where're we goin?" he asked, watching her hurry.

"To cheer ya up!" she said. He raised a brow and chuckled at the sound of the slight accent she'd learned from him. It pleased him to know he had that much influence on her life.

She dragged him past the food court and into a sort of trinket shop, all the way through to the back where she stopped and waved to a shelf, grinning. The shelf contained nearly a hundred eggs of different material and design. Bunnymund's eyes went wide as he looked them over, wanting each and every one.

"Pick one," Sophie said, but he shook his head, making her pout. "But I want to get ya one. You're always giving eggs to others; I want to get an egg for you!" Bunnymund smiled, touched, and he leaned down to hug her for a moment before looking back to the eggs. There were so many, and each was appealing for its own reasons.

Finally he spotted a lovely golden egg. The outside was covered in gold leaf, arranged in an intricate design that reminded him of a star ship. There was a little window cut out of the front, and the inside was painted to resemble a spiral galaxy. He picked it up and examined it before gently handing it to Sophie.

"It's beautiful," she said, smiling and carrying it over to the register, not allowing him to see how much she was paying. Once it was wrapped and bagged, she headed out of the shop with him.

"Thanks, Soph," he said, accepting the bag, looking a little teary. "Really, thank you." Sophie smiled and nodded, hugging him and planting a kiss on his nose.

"It's nothing really," she told him. "Not compared to what you've done for me."

"What do ya mean by that?" he asked her, crouching to be level with her. She shrugged slightly before smiling at him.

"You give me hope," she said, taking his hand. "Now, let's go get something to eat and then go to the crafting shop! I want to get material for a new project!" Bunnymund nodded, smiling and getting up. He grabbed up the bags again, then followed after her, deciding to have a talk with her later on.


	10. Hanging out with Friends

Sophie was depressed. It was rare that she let it show, and she never, ever let Bunnymund see. She figured it would be fine as long as he kept coming around. His presence kept her hopeful, fought back the depression, but when he was gone, and was alone in bed at night, it came back, sneaking its way in and around her thoughts.

Actually sleeping was worse for her. If she could escape the traitorus thoughts, the nightmares set in, bringing to the surface and making her live though all her fears and little worries. She woke with tears each time, long before dawn, and she stayed up until it was time to start her day.

Though she never acually shows it in front of Bunnymund, he begins to pick up on it. His concern grows each time he comes to see her until he finally decided to do something for her.

The Warren was warm as Sophie and Jamie arrived with Jack, thanks to the use of one of North's Snowglobes. The moment they touched ground, Sohpie pushed away from the winter spirit, not out of discomfort from his low body temperature but awkwardness of being pressed right against him. She could have gone though herself just fine, but Jack had insisted he hold onto both of them, and the amused look in his eyes said he knew exactly what how uncomfortable he'd made her.

she huffed at him and stormed away, heading for the Coloring River, where Bunnymund had asked them all to meet up. She could already see the great form of Nicholas St. North, also known as Santa, and a shimmery golden balloon shape she presumed was the Sandman. The sight of him made her grin and hope surged through her stronger than it had in days as she thought he might be able to help her with her nightmares.

"There she is!" Bunnymund called, looking up when he sensed her hope. He waved her over with a grin that hid his worries over what her hope was for. Yes, she needed them, and it was terrible that it took him this long to notice.

Sophie waved back and hurried over, Jack and Jamie still further behind her, taking a while to catch up. She rolled her eyes, thinking it was silly of them to pretend they were sly, when anyone with eyes knew what was up there. When she got to the others, she hugged them each in turn.

"Where's Tooth?" she asked, looking around.

"Tooth will be late today," North said simply, and Sophie nodded, knowing better to question him when he used that tone.

"Alright, so, we're having a party?" Sophie asked, smiling.

"More of just a hang out," Bunnymund said, watching as the great egg sentinels brought over a table covered in various treats. North added his own plate of cookies and fruitcake to the table, and Sandy produced a tropical fruit punch, though it couldn't be said from where. When Jack and Jamie finally caught up to them, both hurried to raid the table with barely a hello to the others.

Sophie just sat back and watched her friends, amused as they talked and played. Eventually, Bunnymund came over to sit beside her.

"How ya goin?" he asked, pulling her over in a side hug and she shrugged, making him frown. "C'mon, Soph, whatsa matter?" Sophie bit her lip, noting that the others had stopped to look over at her as well. The concern in their eyes was enough to remind her that she was not okay, and she wasn't hiding it well either.

Before she could stop herself she was crying and telling them everything about her fears and nightmares. The words wouldn't stop until she was sobbing hard and surrounded by them, getting hugs and comforting words from all directions.

At some point during her explanation Tooth had arrived, and when the hugs were done she sat in front of Sophie.

"I brought this for you," she said, pulling out the girl's canister of baby teeth. Sophie knew then that she was the point of the whole gathering, that they were all there just for her. It made her heart ache with a forgotten happiness, and she hugged Tooth tight then before accepting the teeth.

They went though her memories together, and Sophie was crying again by the time they were done, but they were good tears. She would start fresh now, with the confidence to ignore her fears and doubts.

Once she was calm and things were settled she was able to enjoy herself, joining in the games and talks. When all the food was gone and the Guardians had to get back to work, Bunnymund offered to take her home. They took the tunnels and landed in her room a little before her mother was to come home from work.

She sat down on her bed and stretched a bit, hoping to get a nap in before dinner. Bunnymund sat beside her and took her hand, smiling a little, sadness in his eyes.

"I know what its like to feel alone and out of place," he said, his accent apparently gone for the moment. "I'm the last of my people, and I don't even come from this world." Sophie frowned and hugged his arm, sad for him.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, making him smile just a bit.

"Aw, its been a long time," he said, wrapping his arm around her in a hug. "Point is, don hold it all in. I'm here to talk to ya when ever ya need. Jus call on me." He pulled out a necklace then with a hand carved and painted pendant bearing an unknown symbol on it. "Jus hold it and call."

"I will," Sophie said with a smile, putting it on and sitting up to hug him tight. "And thank you, Bunny." He hugged her tight in return and nodded. Once she released him, he kissed her head before wishing her goodnight and hopping into the tunnels.

Instead of heading for home, Bunnymund hurried for North's workshop. He and the other Guardians needed to have a discussion about Nightmares.


	11. With Animal Ears

"This is ridiculous and uncomfortable," Bunnymund complained as Sophie fastened the second costume ear into his hair. "I have ears like this!"

"Not in this body you don't," she said, tugging the ear to make sure it was fastened right. "And you promised to help me with modeling!" Bunnymund sighed and nodded. He was beginning to regret letting her know that everyone could see him if he took on a human form. That didn't mean they were allowed to know exactly who he was, but that didn't stop Sophie from coercing him into every photo shoot she held.

"Now, come over here," she said, pulling him to where she had a picnic scene set up across from the camera.

"Why can't we do this when ya finish yer stock?" he asked, rubbing where the ears were attached, only to have his hand knocked away.

"Stock is finished," Sophie said, fixing his hair where he'd ruffled it. "This is the last step before I can put them online." Bunnymund looked up in surprise, but before he could speak, she was setting up the camera and taking her place.

An hour later, Sophie finished the shoot, and Bunnymund was finally used to the ears, so he left them on as he helped her pick up. Once they were back in her room, she plugged in the camera and grinned.

"You look good, Bunny," she said happily, beginning to pick out which pictures to use.

"So do you," he said, watching over her shoulder. She blushed lightly and he turned away. He hadn't meant it like that, but suddenly the thought was there. Nearly sixteen, her hair hung low down her back, brushing the seat of her chair, her skin was soft and clear, and her eyes had taken on a mysterious quality. Even without makeup, she was a beautiful young thing.

_Young_! Bunnymund reminded himself with a shake of his head, taking off the false ears as she continued to work._ Jus fifteen! And a human no less. No need to entertain that idea._ He sighed and shook his head, sure he had to go soon. Before he could get up though, Sophie sighed, and he realized something was on her mind.

"Somethin wrong?" he asked, coming to see if it was something on the computer.

"Not really," she said, fiddling with the ears still attached to her head. "I just... well, I found out last week why I feel so out of place." he waited for a moment to see if she would continue, and when she didn't he took her hand.

"Anythin we can do about it?" he asked.

"Not really," she said. "I... I'm adopted." Bunnymund frowned at that, but when he thought about it, it did make a lot of sense. Silence hung in the air as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know what do," she said. "I want to find out more, but I'm afraid to ask."

"Why?" he asked her with a frown. "There ain't any reason to be afraid to find out about yourself." Sophie frowned up at him, still uncertain.

"But what if mom thinks I'm grateful or unsatisfied?" she asked.

"She won't be," he promised her. "I can promise ya, Soph, she'll be more than willing to talk to ya, ta help ya find things out. Just ask when yer ready." Sophie thought about it for a minute before nodding. After a few minutes sitting in silence, she sat up and smiled.

"Alright, well, we need to switch to the cat ears for the next set," she told him, tugging off the rabbit ears. "These ones come with tails!"


	12. Wearing Kigurumis

"I am not wearin' that," Bunnymund huffed, openly glaring at the suit Sophie had presented him. "I will not be caught dead in it!"

"Please?" she said, pouting up at him in her special way, but he wasn't going to fall for it this time, no sir.

"Not for all the eggs in the universe," he said. "I've done some embarrassing things for ya, but this? No, it ain't gonna happen! My dignity's worth more than this!"

"I'm gonna wear one too though!" she said, holding up her own. He looked at hers, indignation plain on his features.

"Why can't I wear that one then?" he asked, making her groan and toss it to the side.

"Because it's too small!" she said for what had to be the fifth time already. "Bunny, I told you, someone ordered this, then backed out on it. You're the only person I know tall enough to fit it, and I need you to model it so I can sell it. Ya don't want my work to go to waste, do ya?"

Bunnymund ground his teeth, trying not to see the way she was pouting, her eyes shining with unshed tears, and her hands shook as she held out the suit for him. He managed to keep his resolve for nearly two minutes, even as she made a pathetic little whimpering sound, but when she gave up and her face fell, his heart shattered his pride. With a sigh, he took the suit from her.

"If I hear one word about this that even hints that you let Jack know," he said, shaking the suit, leaving his threat unfinished. Sophie just grinned and hugged him before leaving him to change into his human form and put it on. When she came back in, she was in her suit, and she snapped a candid picture of him, causing him to grumble.

"Oh, come on, you're cute!" she insisted, pecking his cheek in a quick kiss that had him burning red. She grinned wider at the sight before taking his hand and leading him out to the living room.

"Why are ya making pyjamas anyway?" he asked, sitting on the sofa where she told him.

"They aren't _pajamas_," she said, managing to emphasize the difference between the spelling of the word. "They're Kigurumis." He looked at her for a moment, one eyebrow raised in a very sarcastic manner.

"Pyjamas," he said before smiling as the camera went off. After several pictures were taken, Sophie sat down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Why do you always look so good?" she asked, going though the shots of him. He blushed at the question, leaning his head back so she couldn't see it past the side of her hood.

"Survival instinct," he said. When she turned and looked at him in confusion, he sighed. "When I shift to a particular form, I take on an appearance that'll keep me safest. Here, with ya, apparently that means lookin 'good',as ya put it." Sophie frowned hearing that, and she shook her head unhappily.

"Then you don't always look like this?" she asked. "When you're human."

"Naw," he said with a shrug before picking up on her mood shift. "Whasa matter?"

Sophie shook her head, not knowing herself why the news was so upsetting. She had assumed he looked like that always, no matter what, and she tried to explain that, but the words wouldn't come.

"Hey now, it's awright," he said, wiping away the tears she hadn't realized she was shedding. "It's awright, Soph. I look like this for you. Because you want me to."

She looked up at him for a moment, nodding. Her tears stopped, and as she looked, she started to blush. Bunnymund tried to look away from her, but the look in her eye drew him in. Before he could stop himself, their lips met. The kiss was gentle and brief, and when they parted, Sophie was smiling like it was the greatest day of her life.

"That's new," she said, making him laugh and nod. It was all he could do for a moment besides wrap his arms around her. They sat in comfortable silence, Bunnymund plenty relieved that she wasn't upset by the kiss. She seemed to enjoy it, which pleased him to no end.

When she finally pulled away to face him, she had a guilty expression, instantly making him worry.

"Bunny... I have to confess something to you," she said, biting her lip.

"Yeah?" he asked, afraid to say more. She took a deep breath, looking down at her hands.

"I made the Kigurumi on purpose," she said quickly. "Jack made a joke last time he was here, and it gave me the idea and you know once I get an idea I have to make it..." She looked up, ready to apologize, but before she could, he laughed. He was so relieved that her guilt was over a joke and not the kiss that he could care less about Jack dredging up the old kangaroo joke.

"Ya made this jus fer me?" he asked, grinning as she nodded. "Well then, how can I resist wearin it?" She grinned as he said that, and leaned in to kiss him quickly, causing them both to blush once more.

"I'm glad you like it," she said, settling back in his arms. He nuzzled her head for a moment before pausing to look down at her.

"Ya won't show those pictures ta Jack, will ya?" he asked, not liking the way she grinned and giggled deviously in response.

"Not as long as yer a good kangaroo," she said, turning and kissing him once more. He laughed against her lips before kissing her back, deciding that answer was good enough for him.


	13. Making Out

After the first kiss they shared, Sophie and Bunnymund's relationship progressed slowly, with short, chaste kisses and hugs that were abruptly broken out of when anyone else came near. Bunnymund insisted that they keep it quiet for a while, and Sophie agreed to an extent, but when he wouldn't even hold her hand in front of the others any more, she had to put her foot down.

"We've always been close," she said as she sat across from him on her bed. "They won't say anything at all if we hold hands, we used to all the time. Not holding my hand or breaking my hugs is what will make them suspicious. And since it's you who cares so much what they think of you-"

"It's not what they think of me," he interrupted. "S'what they think of you." He frowned then as she gave him a look that made the words sound hallow in his own ears. "Right, maybe it is about what they think of me. But North already thinks down on Easter as it is, and if he finds out about this-" His words were stopped when Sophie covered his mouth, then crawled into his lap.

"I don't care what they think," she said. "And you shouldn't either. What matters is, well, I love you, Bunny. Nothing besides that should be important." He smiled down at her, then kissed her palm before pulling her hand away for access to her lips.

"I love you too, Sophie," he said, kissing her once more. She returned the kiss, blushing somewhat when it lasted longer than their usual. Not that she had any complaints.

Sighing gently into the kiss, she tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer. To her surprise, instead of breaking the kiss like he would normally have, he repositioned them so they were laying, his warm, strong form seeming to cover hers completely. She licked his lips experimentally and he shuddered slightly before parting them for her.

As they grew more heated, she managed to get his shirt off without a complaint from him. His lips moved to her neck as she ran her nails down his back, whimpering as he marked her. He would have left more marks if she hadn't tugged his hair to bring his lips back to hers.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized he tasted of chocolate, and she would never be able to eat a candy bar again without thinking of him. It was an appealing thought and her enthusiasm doubled. He slid his hands under her shirt in response and rubbed her bare sides, making her shudder and gasp.

Once more he moved to mark her neck. She pulled on his hair and gasped, but the sound was shock, not pleasure. He looked up and saw her eyes locked on the door. Slowly, he turned to look as well, paling when he saw her mother standing in the doorway, a matching look of shock on her face.

They all stared for a moment, frozen, then all at once they all moved. Sophie pushed him away, he dived for his shirt, and her mother turned from the room so fast she slammed the door behind her.

Sophie sat up, her face bright red, her hands over her mouth. When they looked at each other again, she began to laugh and he growled.

"What's so funny?" he asked, trying to decide if he needed to flee or would have to face the music.

"Trying to keep yourself safe?" she asked. He frowned and looked across the room the the mirror before groaning as he saw the face of a seventeen year old boy looking back.

"Least I don' look like a rabbit," he muttered, making her burst into laughter before sitting up to kiss him quickly.

"I wouldn't have cared any which way," she assured him. He smiled and nodded, hugging her for a moment before sighing.

"Guess we got to go down an talk to yer mum," he said, standing and taking her hand.

"Oh, we don't have to," she said, getting up. "I can just explain later." He shook his head, touching her cheek.

"I'm gonna do this right," he said. "Might have to hop around some details, but if we're gonna happen, I want her blessing." Sophie grinned wide at that and paused to kiss him.

"You are far too wonderful," she said happily as she held him close. He shook his head but smiled, wrapping his arms around her.

"Jus for you," he said, kissing her once more before letting go of all but her hand. He squeezed it once before leading her out to face her mom.


	14. Eating Ice Cream

"Could've been worse," Sophie said, laughing at the look on Bunnymund's face as she led him out of the house. "I mean, she could have gone into detail about it." Bunnymund huffed at her, taking her hand. She sighed and they started their walk, squeezing his hand. "At least we got her approval." He smiled at last at that, returning the squeeze.

"Yer right," he said. "Suppose I'm jus not happy about havin to look seventeen."

"Cause that's a terrible thing," she said, rolling her eyes. "It won't be for too long. You can gradually start aging yourself up after my birthday, so it doesn't matter." He sighed and nodded. He didn't like it, but she was worth it, so he would hold on.

They walked on in comfortable silence, Bunnymund deep in thought. Sophie watched him for a moment before smiling and taking a sudden turn, pulling him into an ice cream parlor. He was startled from his thoughts by the turn, smiling when he realized where they were.

"What do you want?" she asked him, looking to all the flavors before ordering raspberry.

"Why not chocolate?" he asked her, ordering that for himself.

"Bunny, you know I'm allergic," she told him, pouting.

"Since when?" he asked, eyes wide. If he were in his natural form, his ears would have been at attention. "You eat it all the time." Sophie laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah, but every time, I have a reaction," she told him. "And if I'm going to have a reaction, I'm not going to waste it on chocolate ice cream. I'd rather have yours." Bunnymund smiled at that as they were given their ice cream. Sophie led him over to sit so they could eat.

"Soph, that really is terrible," he said, taking a bite. "Isn't there anythin that can be done."

"Not really," she said, pouting as she had her own spoonful. "But I don't care really. I take the reaction if I want. Your chocolate is worth it." He grinned then, leaning across for a kiss. Sophie licked her lips after the kiss, grinning.

"You should make some raspberry chocolates this Easter," she said.

"I'll get right on that," he said, smiling. He offered her a taste of his ice cream. Sophie smiled and accepted it before kissing him once more, thinking she might just have to get used to those allergic reactions.


	15. Genderswapped

Sophie smiled, watching Bunnymund paint another egg with perfect and beautiful precision. Sitting there in the quiet, watching with wonder as the colors mixed and patters emerged, he knew he could stay like that forever, content to observe. Bunnymund finished her egg and set it down to dry, then glanced over with a smile.

"Bored yet?" she asked, and Sophie just shook his head. "Well, come help me out then. Got heaps to do before Easter." Sophie grinned and nodded, coming over to pick out an egg and a brush.

"You sure my work is good enough for the children of the world?" he asked with a little laugh, painting his egg with stripes.

"Naw, yer work goes in my personal collection," Bunnymund said, earning herself a kiss on the nose.

"Then I'll paint as many as you wish," he said. They worked together in silence, going through a number of eggs before deciding to stop for the day. Bunnymund stood and stretched, shaking out her fur before offering a hand that he gladly took. They headed back into her cottage and she prepared a lunch for them. Sophie smiled in affection as they ate, thinking himself the luckiest guy in the world.

When they finished up, Sophie stood, feeling dizzy and completely off for a moment. He sat and held his head in his hands as Bunnmynd came over and touched his back.

"Somethin wrong hun?" she asked him.

"No, just... felt a bit out of place for a moment," he said, managing a smile. "What's next on the agenda?" Bunnymund looked at him skeptically before nodding.

"Well, anythin, really," she said. "We're free fer the full afternoon." He smiled at that before pulling her to his lap.

"Hm, well, we could have some fun," he said, kissing her gently before nuzzling her, knowing she wasn't made for human kisses. She returned the nuzzle before chinning him. "Maybe we'll even get lucky this time," he added, smiling at the thought. Bunnymund froze and leaned back to look at him.

"Soph... thas not gonna happen," she told him softly. "S'not possible." He stared at her for a moment, eyes wide and heart pounding."

"B-but... never?"

"Never," she said sadly. "We aren't compatible." Sophie shook his head, breathing hard as everything started to fade to black.

Sophie sat up with a gasp, gripping her chest as she tried to get her breathing back to normal. It took her several minutes to come down and realize it had only been a dream.

_Of course it was a dream_, she thought, looking down at herself. _Or a nightmare._ She looked around her, snapping on the light when she thought she saw a pair of golden eyes watching her. Confirming she was alone in her room, she laid back, thinking on the nightmare.

She and Bunnymund hadn't even been together in that way, but she had thought about it. Her mom had told them to be safe if they were to do anything of that sort, which made Bunnymund uncomfortable. She wondered now if it hadn't been the idea of sex that caused it, but the idea of breeding.

The thought of children led to other thoughts of family and marriage, and questions of whether or not there was even a chance of that Bunnymund wanted those things. She frowned and rolled to her side, curling up as she worried over how to approach the subject with him, and for the first time in years, she lay awake til dawn thanks to her nightmare.


	16. In A Different Clothing Style

"We have to go back in there soon," Sophie said, swinging her feet under her, trying not to think about the long drop below her. "Tooth'll be upset if she thinks we left."

"Yeah, well, we got every reason to leave," he said. "Between this bloody _sherwani_ and that whacker Frost, I should be long gone!"

"Bunny," Sophie warned, frowning as she rearranged the folds in her sari. "We're here for Tooth, and she asked us to wear this. _And_ I told you to let me make you one, but you didn't listen, so don't complain about the clothing." Bunnymund frowned and grumbled, but he knew she was right about that much at least.

"What about Frost then?" he asked. "He won't just keep his mouth shut about Easter. He's worse than North!" Sophie shook her head and took his arm gently.

"Jamie told me something about that," she told him. "He got curious and found the old graveyard from back in his day. There's a gravestone for him there, even though his family never got to bury him." Bunnymund frowned at that, shaking his head.

"Well, that's sad and all, but that's no excuse for his disrespect," he said.

"He died on Easter Sunday," she said. He froze then, guilt overwhelming his features. His mouth moved but no words came. After a moment, he simply covered his face in shame. Sophie frowned and scooted to his lap, hugging him.

"You couldn't have done anything for him," she said. "He knows that, I'm sure, but you two really need to actually sit and talk about this. as long as I've known you, you two have had this problem. It's time to fix it." Bunnymund nodded and nuzzled her a moment before standing and heading back inside to talk to Jack.

Sophie reentered shortly after him and made her way over to the back of the room where Toothiana had set up an array of treats. She made a plate to share with Bunnymund, then sat back to wait for him to finish his talk with Jack. It was a few hours before he came over, looking tired but calm.

"All worked out?" she asked, offering him a bite of carrot pudding. He accepted it before shrugging.

"Not entirely," he said. "But we'll get there." Sophie nodded, glad things were going to get better between the two Guardians. They finished off the pudding before she stood and pulled him with.

"Come on, that dance looks like fun," she said, making Bunnymund laugh.

"We try that, this thing will rip right up the back," he said, following gladly.

"Then let's give everyone a show," she said.

Hours later, the party was winding down. Bunnymund had managed to keep his sherwani intact, but the moment he and Sophie said goodbye to the others and hopped into the tunnel, he tossed it off.

"Might just have to let ya make me one of those for later on," he said, scooping her up. "You, on the other hand, need to wear this more often." She laughed and shook her head, nuzzling his neck.

"This is a rental," she said. "But if you really wish, I'll get one." He chuckled, nodding as he carried her though the tunnel.

"Let's get ya home then," he said.

"Oh, well, actually, mom isn't expecting me home until morning," she said, smiling. "Since we spent all day with the others, I figured we could at least spend tonight together." Bunnymund smiled at that before nodding, turning for his Warren instead.


	17. During Their Morning Rituals

The early morning sun shined through the bedroom window of Bunnymund's cottage, making Sophie groan and turn to hide her face against Bunnymund's fur. He chuckled slightly and rubbed her back, gently urging her awake. After a few minutes she finally looked up at him.

"S'too early, Bunny," she mumbled, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

"I know, hon, but ya gotta go home soon," he said. She groaned and hid her face again. He let her lay beside him a little longer, rubbing her back again, but when the angle of the sun coming though changed, he shook her once more.

"C'mon, ya gotta get ready to head home," he said. Sophie sighed, resigned to her fate, and she rolled from his nest.

"I'm going to bathe," she informed him, leaving the room. Bunnymund smiled after her before getting up himself. He brushed out his fur, smoothing it down and checking for tangles or stains that would insist he needed a bath of his own. He finished up just as Sophie returned, wrapped in his old coat like a robe

She grabs the brush from him, ignoring his insistence that it's for fur. He shook his head at her, leaving her to dress so he could make them breakfast. Usually he would simply have fresh fruits and vegetables raw, but when Sophie was there, he always prepared something special.

It took a while to learn exactly what she liked, but eventually he had a menu down. This morning, he cooked her a fresh fruit oatmeal, and egg-less crepes topped with a light drizzle of chocolate syrup. He had yet to recognize her supposed allergic reaction. As far as he could tell, she'd only ever gotten a little irrational after having chocolate.

_Irrational?_ he thought, frowning at the thought while he set out the table. _Why that word? Hyper, that's the word._

"What's with the look?" Sophie asked as she came down, kissing his nose and sitting.

"What, nothin," he said quickly, sitting beside her so they could eat.

"Just thinking too hard?" she teased. He rolled his eyes and started to eat, still trying to figure out why the phrasing had bothered him so. It felt as though he were trying to reach through a deep fog to some abandoned part of his sensibilities. Before he could break through, Sophie was waving her hand in his face, concerned.

"Are you alright?" she asked when she had his attention.

"Yeah, fine," he said, shaking his head and looking around to bring himself back to the moment. "Jus thinkin hard." He smiled to reassure her, and though he could tell she was still concerned, she smiled back, relaxing.

"Well, don't do that too often," she said, finishing her breakfast. "You'll burn out your brain and end up like Jack." That made him laugh.

"Right, well, I'll keep that in mind," he said, clearing the table. Sophie kissed him once more, then headed upstairs to grab her bag and brush her teeth.

Once the dishes were cleaned, Bunnymund headed back upstairs to fix up his nest so it was ready for the next time he would sleep there.

"Ready to go then?" Sophie asked, her bag over her shoulder, a pout on her face.

"Yep," he said, turning to hug her. "S'not like it's going to be for long. Jus gotta let yer mum see yer in one piece. Might even be back together by tonight." She smiled at that and nuzzled him under the chin.

"Alright, let's go," she said, letting him lead the way outside so he could open the tunnel and take her home.


	18. Spooning

The week had dragged on long for Sophie, and as she climbed the stairs to her room, she decided she would sleep for another week just to make up for it. Continuously, if she could help it. She entered her room, hardly acknowledging Bunnymund with more than a nod as she fell down beside him on the bed.

"Tired?" he asked with a chuckle, and she glared at him for half a second before giving up. Irritation took too much energy. She shed her pants and wriggled her bra out from under her shirt, ignoring the impressed look she got from Bunnymund. Once she was comfortable, she fell back into bed beside him and mumbled goodnight. She was out in a moment, dead to the world.

When she finally woke, her back was pressed to Bunnymund's chest, his arms wrapped around her.

"Bout time ya opened yer eyes," he said, smiling down at her.

"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing the sand from her eyes.

"Near six," he said after a glance at the clock. "Jus a few hours from bedtime again."

"Six at night?" she asked, sitting up and staring out the window, seeing the sun was setting, not rising as she thought.

"You were tired," he said, rubbing her back.

"I'm going to be awake all night," she said, laying back down and scooting against him. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist once more.

"Ya don' got anyplace to be tomorrow," he reminded her. She nodded and ran her hand up his arm.

"What do you wash with that makes you so soft?" she asked, fitting her head under his chin.

"My tongue," he said with a laugh.

"Well, I wanna have soft hair too," she said. "Maybe you should use your tongue on me." He froze when he heard that, and as she realized exactly what she said, she began to blush, too mortified to try and hide her face. She could feel his mind working out what to say next, but the silence drifted into minutes, becoming unbearable.

"Oh, so the thought is unappealing to you?" she asked quickly to break the tension, though she burned brighter and cursed herself for keeping on with the subject.

"What? No! I mean yes! Or- Ugh!" He rubbed his face as he stammered, trying to collect his thoughts. He took a deep breath before tilting her head so he could look her in the eye. "When the time comes, I will be more than happy to." Sophie's blush changed with those words, and she smiled up at him, relaxing. She planted a kiss on his nose before turning back to stare out the window. His hold on her was firmer than before, and it was a comfort just to know he was there.

"So, whas kept ya so busy this week?" he asked. "I hardly heard a thing from ya." Sophie sighed and went back to petting his arm.

"Mom was telling me about my adoption, and then we were trying to find my birth parents," she said after a quiet minute. Bunnymund nodded, his chin rubbing the top of her head, making her smile.

"Any luck?" he asked.

"No," she said, frowning. "It's so annoying. Apparently this woman hands me off to- to dad in the park and begs him to look after me, claiming to be a war refugee that came here for safety, but she couldn't care for me. Before dad could argue, she was running off." Bunnymund frowned as he listened, shaking his head. He knew her dad was a sore topic, so he didn't question her hesitation."

"Did ya get any information on her?" he asked, trying to recall where there were wars specifically the year she had been born.

"Just her name," Sophie said. "Eglantine Cunningham. It's such a strange name, I figured we'd be able to find her. And it sounds really English, though, according to what dad told mom, she had a strange accent, like she was Spanish or Italian... Bunny, are you okay?" Bunnymund had frozen again, and when she turned to look at him, his eyes were wide. "Bunny?"

"What was yer father's name?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said, assuming he meant her birth father. "All dad was told was that he was one of the Generals fighting the war. Whether he was on my mother's side or not-"

"I have to go," Bunnymund said, abruptly pulling away and hopping up.

"Bunny?"

"I'll be back," he said simply before hopping down his tunnel, leaving her to stare in confusion at the floor where he disappeared.


	19. Doing Something Together

"So, you're just going to ignore me then?" Sophie asked, breaking the loud silence that had been hanging between them for over an hour since she showed up. "You avoid me for weeks, then you pull this. What is going on with you?" Her words were calm and even, but her tone hinted at the underlying hurt and anger she felt.

It made Bunnymund flinch, knowing he'd upset her, but he had needed time to process what he had learned, to look into it and figure out exactly what it could mean. When there was no evidence to prove his theory wrong, he had gone though any other theory, no matter how crack, just to know for certain. Now there was no other alternative.

He put down his brush and egg, turning to her as the egg ran off. When he saw her expectant expression, tinted with her anger and distress, he frowned.

"I had to look into some things," he said, wincing when she scoffed.

"What was so important that you had to run off?" she asked.

"You," he said. "I was trying to figure out who you are." She stared at him, stunned and clearly not expecting his response.

"I know who I am," she said, sounding uncertain.

"But ya don't know where ya come from," he said, taking her hand. "And I needed ta know. I think I know now; I've exhausted every other alternative." Sophie frowned, looking down at their joined hands before looking back at him.

"Tell me," she said. Bunnymund took a deep breath before settling down.

"It was the name that got my attention," he told her. "Eglantine Cunningham. I used ta know someone by that name. It's not so common. But when you mentioned the General, I knew odds just went down ta nothin that it wasn't her."

"Who was she?" Sophie asked, squeezing his hand so hard he had to pull it away. He curled his fingers to make sure they were alright before finally speaking again.

"She was my princess," he said. The silence that followed was heavy. He could sense a strange sort of hope from her, flickering with her thoughts, slowly dimming. "That is to say, she was the princess to my people," he amended quickly. The flickering stopped, but the hope stayed low. She knew what had happened to his people, and he could guess her thoughts.

"When I first heard the plan to round up the Dream Pirates and fearlings and the like, I was right away worried," he went on. "I jus knew it would end very very badly. Ya can't keep that sort of thing bottled up all in one place. So I built a ship. Took a long time, but I did it. Then I told Eggie, the Princess, what ta do. Taught her how to run it, and told her that if anythin ever happened, she had ta gather all the children she could and flee."

"And then Pitch came?" she asked.

"Sorta, not quite," he said, rubbing his head. It had been so long since he thought back on those days he'd built up a veil against it in his mind. Pushing past it now was hard.

"His name was Kozmotis Pitchiner back then," he said. "He was General and a great hero. I'll keep it short and tell ya he and the princess were secretly married. Jus before he was shipped off the guard the Shadow Prison, they had a daughter." He could feel her trembling now, so he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her.

"Then the darkness came?" she whispered. He nodded, rubbing her back.

"I couldn't have been sure that she got away," he said. "I was fighting, and then everyone was dead and I had to flee. I only saw that the ship was gone before I went. I spent so long after that trying to find her, ta see if there were any others out there, but there was no one, nothing..." He was shaking himself now and couldn't go on. For what felt like ages, they sat holding each other until they both stopped shaking.

"How could it be possible?" Sophie finally asked. "If it is me, shouldn't I be, so much older?"

"Yes, technically," he said. "But, if the ship were pulled into a wormhole, ya could have passed through back then, and come out recently without aging more than a few hours or days. Everythin fits."

"So, if you're right... we're the same species?" she asked. He could feel her strange hope again, though he couldn't understand exactly what it was for.

"If I'm right," he said, nodding. She began to laugh, her eyes prickling with tears.

"How do we find out?" she asked, tugging the fur of his chest in her excitement. "We have to find out!"

"Awright, awright, calm down," he said, smiling at her. This was not at all the reaction he was expecting from her, but he was glad he didn't have to bring her down from freaking out. "Since ya look human now, I assume ya've been shifted. We got ta try and shift ya back. If that doesn't work, we'll have ta try and find Eggie."

"Let's start now then!" she said, closing her eyes and concentrating.

"Doesn't work that way, hon," he said, rubbing her cheek. She opened her eyes and pouted.

"This is going to be one of those long term training things, isn't it?" she asked.

"Sorta. You would have been changed by another, that means ya need to be changed back by another," he said. "Tha's what'll take time. Learnin ta lower yer defenses enough for me ta get in. And right now, yer too wound up for that. Ya need ta relax." Sophie sighed and pouted, but didn't argue. He knew what was best, seeing as he was so much older than her.

"So, what do we do now then?" she asked, stretching and laying back in the grass. Bunnymund smiled and laid beside her.

"We relax," he said.

"Obviously," she said, rolling to lay across his chest. "But what do we do now?"

"We keep goin on," he said. "Keep doin what we're doin. And don't tell anyone. Don't want too much hope comin in if it might not be true." Sophie smiled and nodded before kissing his nose. They closed their eyes, enjoying the afternoon sun as it warmed them and the air around them.

"Bunny?" Sophie said after a bit, turning her head to rest her chin on his chest.

"Yeah?" he asked, opening a lazy eye and smiling at her.

"It's true," she said. "I can feel it." Bunnymund smiled at those words, nuzzling her gently.

"I know."


	20. In Formal Wear

_It's not a wedding dress_, Sophie reminded herself as she looked at her reflection. _It's just a white dress you're wearing to a wedding. Not your wedding. You're just a bridesmaid._ The thought was a slight relief, but it also stung, feeding into her fear of rejection. She was almost ready to bolt until she felt Bunnymund's strong arms around her.

"Well, aren't you a beauty," he said, admiring her. "Better be careful not to outshine the diva bride." That made her giggle, relaxing her enough so she forgot her fears.

"Not possible, since he picked the pattern," she said, laughing before looking him over. His shirt was buttoned properly for once(Bunny was hopeless with buttons, regardless of what for his hands were in), as was his waistcoat, and his tie was expertly knotted. Everything from the waist up was pristine, but from the waist down, he was bare. She looked up at him quickly, locking eyes, and he jumped back from the intensity of her glare.

"I won't be able to run," he muttered weakly, ears flat down his back.

"Jack is wearing shoes," she nearly hissed, pushing him to the bed. "The least you can do is wear pants! I made them for you, specifically. It took a lot of time and effort, and I won't have you ruin my brother's wedding just because you can't run! Now put on the pants!" Bunnymund nodded quickly and rushed to obey. Once he was fully dressed, Sophie relaxed.

"Sorry about that," she told him, smoothing down her hair, looking abashed. "I've been dealing with Diva Jack since they announced this thing. He threw a fit over the shade of white I chose for the thread. Not to mention trying to get mom to understand and believe. She's still freaking out..." Frowning at the floor, she sat down on the bed and rubbed her face, sparing a thought in gratitude of smear proof makeup.

Bunnymund frowned and sat beside her, taking her hand gently. "Wha's wrong, hon?" he asked. "This ain't jus the wedding, is it?" Sophie shook her head before leaning into him.

"She's hardly handling this," she said. "The fact that my brother is marrying a supposed mythical being. She's going to freak for sure when she finds out you're actually a Pooka, and then we'll have to tell her about me..." Falling silent, she looked to the ground once more.

"Sophie, yer mum loves you," he said. "Nothin is gonna change that. Not even this. I promise ya. We'll jus take some time to prepare her, tell her right. After we get ya out of yer shift." Sophie nodded, letting out a sigh before turning to him.

"Right as usual, Bunny," she said, kissing his nose. "I'm stressing too much over this." She stood to chin him gently, and though she left no scent on him, the action was still comforting, and was quickly becoming second nature to her. He smiled up at her when she was done before pulling her into a hug so he could return the action, then they sat, simply holding each other.

Finally she pulled away. "Come on, Bunny," she said, standing and handing him his jacket. "Time to go." Bunnymund nodded and pulled on the jacket as he headed out the door. Sophie followed behind, pausing for only a moment to check herself in the mirror.

_'Not a wedding dress_,' she thought, smiling as she caught up with him. _'But I'll get one. When we're ready.'_


	21. Dancing

"Sophie, open yer eyes," Bunnymund said, his soft words trembling with emotion. Sophie let her eyes open slowly. The first thing she saw was the look of pure joy on his face. The sight made her grin, but she stopped quickly when her own face felt off. She reached up to touch her cheek and froze when she saw her hand. Her fingers were thicker now, and covered in fur except on the underside where her soft pink pads were exposed. The other hand matched it, and when she curled her fingers, she saw the tips of her claws.

She heard Bunnymund moving, and felt her ear turn to listen to him near, even as she kept her eyes on what were now her paws. When he cleared his throat, she looked up to see that he had brought a mirror over. She let out a sob when she saw herself. Her fur was a few shades lighter than her hair, a color called fawn if she remembered right. The inside of her ears matched her paw pads, and her ears themselves were long and straight, standing at attention.

"Yer beautiful, Soph," he said, sitting beside her and she nodded, unable to stop looking at herself.

"I-I really am a Pooka," she said softly. He smiled and nuzzled her cheek gently.

"That you are," he said. His tone was even, but she could feel his excitement just under the surface. Every part of him trembled, but he held back his joy to keep her calm.

"Bunny," she said softly, putting her hands on his cheeks. "I'm a Pooka!" She grinned, trembling with her own joy. Refusing to hold back, she jumped to her feet and hopped around in a little circle. Bunnymund grinned and hopped up with her, pulling her into a hug and spinning.

The spinning turned into dancing, both of them laughing and cheering as they move in a beautiful synchronicity. Anyone watching would have thought it were random, but Sophie could feel the moves before she made them, an ancient instinct overtaking her.

When the dance ended, both were panting and grinning, their eyes shining in their joy.

"Courtship dance," he said, and Sophie laughed, knowing he was blushing. She pulled him close and began to chin him, and as her scent washed over him, they both began to cry. For the first time in her life, Sophie felt like she completely belonged. There in his arms, she was home.


	22. CookingBaking

The various smells of the kitchen were overwhelming to Sophie's new nose, and while none were unpleasant, one smell in particular was bordering on intoxicating.

"How long til they're done?" she asked, peeking into the clay oven, her nose twitching in interest.

"It's a while," Bunnymund told her, chuckling as he tugged her back from the heat. "Come help me with these nibs." She looked at the roasting beans once more before getting up to join him.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, looking at the little brown chunks piled up on the counter.

"We start the grinding," he said. He pulled over a pair of stone bowls, measured out fine sugar, then added the nibs. "Now we grind 'em ta start getting 'em smooth." She nodded and took the pestle, watching him for a moment before beginning to copy him. It was tough work and it took a while for her to find a pace that didn't wreck her arms.

When he finally had her stop, her muscles were sore. "Rough bit a work, I know," he said, nuzzling her gently. "But if ya start it with the eggs it comes out cloddy." Sophie nodded and watched as a pair of mechanical eggs came over and picked up the grinding where they left off, then turned as she caught the scent of the freshly roasted beans as Bunnymund took them from the oven.

"Oh, that smell," she said, eyeing the cocoa beans, reaching out to take one.

"Wouldn't recommend that," he warned her. "Ya think the reaction is bad when ya have chocolate, imagine it with the straight bean." Sophie frowned and pulled away.

"So they cool, and then what?" she asked.

"We shell em," he said. "But that's a bit off. We can flavor the other chocolate now." He led her across the room to where he kept the ingredients stored and allowed her to pick out whichever combination she thought would be good. The next steps were more difficult work, and her arms were intensely sore afterwards, making her fairly certain she would not be making chocolate all too often.

Even as he instructed her, Bunnymund moved between tasks, making several batches at once, each its own unique flavor. By the time they were done and the chocolate was sitting to harden, she was laying across an unused counter, not wanting to move. When he turned to see her, he laughed and handed her a small chocolate egg.

"It gets easier," he promised, watching her eat the egg. Almost as soon as she swallowed, the tension left her arms and back, and she was able to sit up without a problem.

"I doubt it," she said with a laugh. "What was in that? I feel great!"

"Jus a touch of spring magic," he said, leading her out of the kitchen. "Jus enough to keep ya goin." She nodded and smiled, continuing on with him out of the cottage and down towards the river.

Just as they reached the edge of the water, the world around them went dark.


	23. In Battle, Side-by-Side

"Oh, what an adorable couple," a voice rang through the darkness, causing Sophie to grab onto Bunnymund.

"Pitch," Bunnymund hissed, trying to see though the darkness. "Don' be scared, Soph. It's what he wants." Sophie frowned and nodded, pulling away but keeping his hand.

"Precious," Pitch said, emerging from the shadows just enough for them to make him out. "And here I thought I'd gotten rid of all you little bunnies." Bunnymund took a step forward, but Sophie held him back.

"If ya know what's good fer ya, you'll leave now, before we kick yer arse back down the pit ya crawled from," Bunnymund hissed.

"Oh, I think not," Pitch said, grinning so his crooked teeth glowed in the darkness. "No, I have a task to do, and I won't be leaving until it's finished." He sank back into the shadow then. Sophie scooted close to Bunnymund and they looked around, eyes straining in the darkness to see where he went.

She turned quickly when she heard his laugh, but turned again when it came from behind her. Fear ran through her like ice, freezing her in place. Bunnymund tugged her arm, leading her away from the river using the sounds of the water, and the distant smell of chocolate to guide him through the dark warren.

"Don't be scared," he whispered. He could hear things slithering around in the dark; Nightmares and fearlings both, but not many. Other than the taunting laugh, there was no hint of where Pitch was. He pressed forward, so focused on getting where he needed to be that he didn't hear the Stone Sentinel ahead of them.

They crashed painfully into the Egg, with Bunnymund taking the brunt of the blow. Sophie fell back, hitting the ground with more force than she hit the egg. White stars flooded the darkness and a sharp pain shot up her neck to the back of her head. Bunnymund growled and righted himself before scooping her up and continuing to run.

It was slower with her in his arms, but easier too since he didn't have to worry about loosing her. Far from the river and the cabin now, he had to run on instinct and memory alone. It was enough to get him where he needed to be.

At the end of a tunnel, the wall glowed faintly with ancient carvings, wards against the darkness. Bunnymund set Sophie down, then turned to the wall. Running his hand along it, he muttered and pressed in appropriate places before the wall slid open. In a flash, he had Sophie inside.

"Stay here," he ordered her, grabbing a faintly glowing egg and pressing it into her hands. "Guard this. Don't let it go no matter what." Sophie nodded and held it to her chest, still in a daze. He pulled the smaller boomerang he'd made her from his bandolier and placed it beside her, along with some egg bombs. "I'll be back." He nuzzled her for a moment before rushing out, securing the room behind him.

Bunnymund rushed out of the tunnel, back to the main room of the warren before drawing his boomerangs.

"Show yerself, ya coward!" he shouted at Pitch. The Boogeyman chuckled, amused with the Pooka's demand.

"Oh I am," Pitch said. "I'm darkness, Rabbit. I'm all around you." Bunnymund growled, his ears twitching at every sound. A nightmare charged him, but before it got near, he destroyed it with his boomerang. Another came, and then a fearling, and each were dispatched with equal ease.

"Still weak, eh Pitch?" he asked. "Betta get outta here before I get my hands on ya."

"You know you won't lay a hand on me," Pitch said. "You couldn't stop me from getting in, what makes you think you can get me out?" Another nightmare charged him, only to be sliced down like the others.

"Pitch, if ya think ya can invade my home-"

"Invade?" Pitch interrupted, laughing. "Oh no, I am not invading. I was invited here. Your fear brought let me in."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Bunnymund demanded, breaking down two more fearlings. "I ain't afraid!"

"Oh, but you are," Pitch said, chucking dangerously. "You're afraid of the girl. You're afraid she'll leave you alone again, and you're afraid she'll stay and make you forget the rest of the world. But mostly, you're afraid that this so called love of yours is only misinterpreted mating instinct."

"Shut up!" Bunnymund shouted, throwing his boomerangs both at Pitch's voice, only to hear them clatter against a wall and fall.

"Oh dear, I've hit a nerve, haven't I?" the Boogeyman chimed right behind Bunnymund. The Pooka turned and threw an egg bomb, missing by a mile. Pitch laughed, his amusement filling the air so there was no telling where he was. Bunnymund needed to see, but the only way to banish the shadows was to hit Pitch or get The Egg from Sophie. He wasn't about to go to her and expose her to the danger, so he had to fly blind.

He listened hard, trying to hear past the blood pounding in his ears, trying to smell past his own sweat and adrenaline. Pitch's laugh continued to echo through the warren, but he listened hard, and after a moment, he could pinpoint just where the laugh was coming from. He threw an egg bomb and Pitch let off an angry shout while the shadows momentarily flickered.

In the moment of light, Bunnymund locked onto Pitch and charged, tackling him, but the Nightmare King slipped through the shadows.

"Nice try, Pooka, but you can't beat me," Pitch said, his voice fading as he fled. "Not when there's another source of fear here." Bunnymund's fear spiked, and he turned and darted down the tunnel that led to Sophie.

He arrived at the glowing wall in time to see it being assaulted by fearlings. They hissed in pain as the wards burned light into them, but they kept at it. Bunnymund threw an egg bomb to get their attention. They turned on him, hissing darkly as they charged forward. He reached for another egg but found his bandolier empty. Cursing, he charged in and started to tear into the creatures with his bare hands. It was slower than with a weapon, and they kept coming. Several got a hold on his arms and started to pull him down, pinning him to the ground and pulling his fur and ears, poking at his flesh, leaving painful bruises and burns. He cried out in pain, trying to fight them off while hoping Sophie remained safe.

One fearling clawed at his stomach roughly, leaving a long, bloody scratch. He cried out again in pain, struggling against those holding him. Before the fearling could get another scratch down, the wall burst open and an egg bomb went off, dispatching the fearlings right beside the opening. Another bomb was thrown, and then one more, and a path was cleared for Sophie to rush through. She kicked the fearlings away from Bunnymund before pulling him up. Once he was on his feet again, he began to fight off the fearlings by hand, while Sophie threw her boomerang as best she could.

Pitch laughed at the scene before stepping out of the shadows.

"You cannot win," he said. "Your fear feeds them! No matter how you cut them down, they will come back." Sophie glared at the Former General, feeling no pity for him despite his history. With a great swing, she threw her boomerang and struck him square in the face before grabbing the glowing egg. She twisted it open and light flooded the tunnel. The Fearlings shrieked in pain as they dissolved into nothing, and Pitch gave a shout as he fled.

"You won't win!" he shouted. "So long you fear, I'll be there!" Once he was gone, Sophie sealed off the egg again before looking to Bunnymund.

"Good job, Hon," he said, managing a weak smile before sinking to the ground. Sophie joined him, sitting close. There were wounds to attend, and they had to tell the other Guardians of the attack, but for the moment, they just sat and reveled in the fact that they survived.


	24. Arguing

_"You're afraid of the girl. You're afraid she'll leave you alone again, and you're afraid she'll stay and make you forget the rest of the world. But mostly, you're afraid that this so called love of yours is only misinterpreted mating instinct."_

The words rang through Bunnymund's mind again and again over the weeks that followed the fight with Pitch. At first he tried to ignore them, but the truth of them wore him down until he couldn't deny them.

The more he thought on it, the more preoccupied he became. He could often be caught staring off into space, concerning Sophie and the other guardians. Finally, Sophie, with urging from the others, got him alone to talk.

"You're so distant," she told him. "Ever since that night in the Warren. You just sit and stare at nothing."

"Lotsa people do that," he evaded, taking out an egg to paint, only to have Sophie grab his hands.

"What happened?" she asked, looking him in the eye. "What did he say?" Bunnymund looked at her for a moment before allowing himself a sigh.

"He jus told me the truth," he said. "Told me what I'm scared of. And he's right."

"Right about what?" Sophie asked, frowning. "He's full of it, you know. He'll take you're fear and play with it, make it seem bigger than it is." He shook his head, pulling away from her.

"Sophie, yer tha only Pooka I've met in, well, in more time than I'd care ta recall," he said, eyes on the wall behind her. "Ever since ya were old enough, I've wanted... ta do things..." Sophie blushed, nodding in understanding.

"I've wanted to too," she said. "That's no cause for fear. It's love."

"But it's not," he said. "Love fer a Pooka is not so overwhelmed with these desires. Sophie... this is..."

"This is what?" she asked when he didn't continue, fighting the anger rising up inside her at Pitch. "If this isn't love, what is it?"

"Mating instincts," he finally said. Sophie stared at him for a moment before laughing.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked. "Come on, we both know it's so much more than that between us!" Bunnymund shook his head and she frowned, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Bunny, if this were only instincts, we would have jumped each other long before now!"

"Pooka aren't rabbits," he said. "We can wait til the circumstances are perfect for breeding." Sophie slammed her fist on the bed beside her, glaring at him.

"Dammit, Bunny, it's not just mating!" she said.

"Yes it is," he finally shouted at her. "I've been around longer than you, I've been an adult longer than you, and I most certainly know more about being a Pooka than you! I had a life before you, so don't think you know what's what!" Sophie stared at him for a moment, eyes wide and mouth agape before glaring at him.

"Fine, go back to your life before me!" she shouted. "Go back to your eggs and your chocolate and your mating instincts and pretend there is no love!" Bunnymund glared at her, then huffed and opened a tunnel.

"You'll see," he said. "When I'm gone, you'll see that's all it is." He hopped down the tunnel then, and after it closed up, Sophie threw herself down on her bed and cried.


	25. Making Up Afterwards

In the days following their argument, Sophie expected Bunnymund to come to his senses and apologize to her, but as the days turned into weeks, she realized he was more stubborn than she thought. Not about to be outdone, she refused to go to him.

As Easter season began, Bunnymund got busy. After the argument with Sophie, none of the other Guardians wanted to help him, so for the first time in years, he was working alone. It was harder work than he remembered, but he had plenty of time to think as he went through the now instinctual task of coloring the eggs.

He thought of Sophie often, of their relationship and what she meant to him. Every moment with her was imprinted on his mind, the emotions of their time together fresh as ever. He missed holding her, the sound of her voice, and even just the scent of her. Not having her near was wearing on him, and he was seeing the foolishness of his previous fears.

"Course it wasn' matin instinct," he muttered to himself as he herded another group of eggs towards the pastel flowers. "Woulda pounced on her the first moment I caught her scent, Pooka or not." He crossed his arms and shook his head at his own stupidity. "Welp, guess I gotta apologize," he said to the Egg Sentinel nearby. The Egg didn't react at all and Bunnymund huffed at the bad company. "Why'd I ever think I could exist with jus you lot around?"

Looking down on the eggs as they made their way to the River, he decide he would speak to Sophie on Easter, after all the eggs were delivered.

Early on Easter Sunday, Bunnmund arrived in Burgess with the eggs. He wouldn't be able to stay long, since he had to make sure all the time zones were visited, but he had half a hope that Sophie might have been waiting for him. After checking the park, he went to Jack's lake. The winter sprite reminded the Pooka that he wasn't allowed to do anything at all on Easter, then gave him a literal cold shoulder by freezing the fur across his back.

Once he got the ice off himself, he hurried for Sophie's house, only to be disappointed to find that she wasn't there. Just as he turned away to leave her room and resume his task a pair of stuffed bunnies on the bed. He knelt to look at them and smiled when he realized they were made to resemble him and Sophie in her Pooka form. He picked out two eggs from his bandolier, specially painted for her, and he placed them with the stuffed Pookas before slipping out of the house to finish hiding the eggs.

Sophie sighed as she watched the children start to make their way home from the park. All the eggs had been collected and with noon fast approaching, they were all getting hungry. Another hour after the park was empty, she stood, ready to go home until she spotted Bunnymund at last.

He was in his human form, dressed completely wrong for the weather, and smiling awkwardly. Sophie huffed, turning from him as if to walk away, but he was beside her in a flash, taking her arm gently.

"Please, Sophie, wait," he said. "I need to talk to ya." She huffed once more, turning to look at him.

"Alright, talk," she said. He nodded, leading her to the bench and sitting.

"Sophie, I'm sorry," he said. "I let that creep get inside my head. I played right into his hands, and I hurt you. I got scared. That's no excuse, though. I'm sorry." He took her hand and touched her cheek. They looked at each other for a moment before she sighed.

"I was wrong too," she said. "Half wrong, anyway. I don't know anything much about being a Pooka, but I know for sure this isn't just some instinct. I love you, Bunny." Bunnymund smiled at her words, then pulled her close for a hug.

"I love you too, Soph," he said, kissing her gently. She blushed and smiled before standing and pulling him with.

"Come on, Bunny," she said. "We need to get the others to forgive you now." Bunnymund laughed and nodded, allowing her to lead the way home.


	26. Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes

Sophie smiled, sighing in contentment as she lay beside Bunnymund. For the better part of two hours, they'd been laying fur to fur, their limbs in a tangle, staring into each other's eyes, and even with so little movement, both were too comfortable to get up.

Bunnymund leaned in to nuzzle her gently, loving the way she giggled. Each time she exhaled he could feel her breath on his fur. It amazed him that such a simple thing could make him so happy, but that was what proved their love.

"Thinking hard?" she teased, rubbing her nose against his as she marveled at the green of his eyes.

"Naw," he said, running a hand across her cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying his touch. Soon enough she opened her eyes again, unable to get enough of his eyes.

They lay together for another hour before he spoke again. His words made her gasp and blush under her fur, and it took her a moment to respond.

"W-what?" she stammered out, causing him to chuckle.

"I said 'marry me,'" he repeated, his eyes locked on hers as they darted about, still trying to process what she heard.

"Marry...?" she asked. He nodded, grinning wider at how adorable she was. She looked at him for a moment before grinning wide herself, throwing her arms around him. "Yes, yes, a million times, yes!" Bunnymund grinned and held her close while they nuzzled and chinned, and even managed an awkward kiss.

"Oh, there's going to be so much to plan," she said, rolling to lay across his chest. "Will it be a Pooka wedding? Or human? Oh, we should do it in the spring!" He chuckled again as he listened to her go on, agreeing with anything she thought up. It didn't matter to him what sort of wedding they had, just so long as she became his mate.

When she finally wore herself back into silence and went back to looking in his eyes.

"I love you, Bunnymund," she said, rubbing her nose against his.

"I love you too, Sophie," he said, returning the action. They fell back into silence until he frowned.

"Promise me somethin," he said.

"Anything," Sophie said, frowning a little in worry. He smiled and rubbed her cheek, assuring her it was nothing bad.

"Don't let me forget the children," he said. She sighed in relief and nodded, smiling.

"I won't," she said with confidence. "Your care for them is one of the reasons I fell for you, and I'm not about to let that go away. Bunnymund nodded, pulling her in for a hug and a nuzzle.

"Good," he said softly before sitting up. "Awright, time to start our day. We've been in bed too long." Sophie giggled and nodded, hopping up to take her human form, then get dressed.

"Yep!" she said, giving him a quick hug. "And we've got a wedding to plan!"


	27. Getting Married

_Now this is a wedding dress,_ Sophie thought, admiring herself in the mirror. It was exactly as she wished, pale green like newly budding flowers, a corset top with lace across the top and skirt was wide and long, with soft satin layers pulled to one side, revealing a layer of lace beneath. Everything about the dress reminded her of spring, exactly as she wished.

Her hair, on the other hand, well, she could live with it. She would have much preferred to be married in her true form, but in the end, she and Bunnymund decided it would be for the best if they were both human in appearance for her mother's sake. She supposed the braided style was pretty though, and since Bunnymund had promised her a much more intimate Pooka style ceremony once all this was over.

As she double checked to be sure everything was perfect, her mother peeked in to tell her everything was ready. When she caught sight of her daughter, she immediately began praising her loveliness. It took quite a few tries from Sophie to get her to lead the way out. More compliments followed as those waiting to walk down the aisle caught sight of her. She blushed and thanked them all before taking her place at the end of the line.

Jamie smiled and offered her his arm. In place of their father, he was giving her away. As they waited for the wedding march to begin, she felt eyes on her, not of the usual sort, but when she looked around, no one was there. She shrugged it off after a moment and soon, she and Jamie were walking down the aisle.

Bunnymund waited at the alter, eyes shining with pride and love as he watched her come towards him. He was dressed in a green suit remarkably similar to his old coat. Sophie lost her breath at the sight of him. Her heart pounded in her chest as the reality of the moment. Finally, after all this time, they were going to be married, mated for life.

The ceremony was brief as they could get it, with the exception of their vows running on long. They promised each other everything with their power, and things beyond that, their passion and love ringing in every word they shared. The same passion was in their kiss, barely restrained. If they didn't have guests, they might have gone on right there.

When they finally broke away, both were blushing and grinning, the pride of belonging to each other shining on their every feature. They turned from the alter and led the procession back down the aisle. Once they were through the doors at the end, Sophie turned and kissed him once more.

"I love you," she told him sweetly, unable to get over how lucky she was.

"I love you too," Bunnymund said, kissing her once more. She smiled into the kiss until she felt the unusual eyes on her again. She pulled away and looked around, stopping when Bunnymund chuckled awkwardly.

"I've been warned ta take good care of ya," he whispered. "Since I was apparently too dumb ta have listened to tha warnin I got ta stay away from ya."

"Warning?" she asked. He nodded over to a particularly dark corner of the room, where she spotted a pair of golden eyes for a second before they disappeared. She scoffed and shook her head. "What makes him think he has any right-"

"Soph, it's alright," he interrupted. "It's a good sign. Kozmotis isn't totally gone." She looked to the corner once more before nodding.

"Well, doesn't matter for the moment," she said, kissing him. "For now, it's you and me, and this little celebration of ours." Bunnymund nodded and returned the kiss before letting her lead the way out to the Ballroom where the reception was being held.

Through the rest of the night, Sophie could still feel the eyes on her, and though she would never say it out loud, she was comforted by the fact that he was there.


	28. On One of Their Birthdays

"S'not such a big deal," Bunnymund told Sophie, touching her shoulder gently. She shrugged him off and pulled the blanket further over her head, fulling intending to stay that way until the day was over. "C'mon, yer hardly aged fer a Pooka. Still very young."

"I don't feel it," Sophie said, her voice muffled by the blanket. "I was just a kid not long ago, and now, I'm nearly thirty!" Bunnymund muffled a laugh, knowing she would be upset.

"Ten years, hon, still a blink of an eye fer a Pooka," he said. "Talk to me about feelin old in a couple thousand years." All was silent for a moment before Sophie sighed and came out from under the covers.

"No party," she ordered him. He smiled and nodded, nuzzling her.

"Jus you an me fer the day," he said. She nodded her approval before rolling out of their nest and shaking out her fur. "Ya do have gifts though."

She nodded, having expected as much. "Not til after dinner," she mumbled as she brushed herself. "I don't want to think about it."

The day passed normal enough. Sophie worked on her sewing, hoping to have enough small rabbit plushies made for Easter. If not, there was always next year. That thought made her smile and relax enough about the passage of time that she didn't put up a fuss when Bunnymund told her he was going to make her a special dinner, leaving her to sew while he cooked.

When the smell of the cooking meal caught her attention, Sophie abandoned her work, going down to the kitchen.

"There ya are," Bunnymund said, nuzzling her as she came in. "I was jus about ta call ya. Dinner's all ready." Sophie sat at their little table, smiling as she recognized all her favorite foods.

"It looks wonderful," she said. "Thank you."

"Of course, hon," he said, nuzzling her once more before sitting beside her so they could eat. It felt like any other day for Sophie, until they finished eating and Bunnymund surprised her with a chocolate cake for two, candles and all. She mock glared at him as he sang happy birthday to her. It would have been surprising to find out how well he sang if she hadn't heard so many times before, and she was both disappointed and relieved when it stopped.

She blew out the candles, smiling awkwardly at his cheer and clapping before cutting into it to share. They would both be overcome by the chocolate in no time, so as they ate the cake, she opened her gifts.

The first, from Sandy, was a lovely seashell mosaic depicting a mermaid combing her hair. Tooth's gift was the predictable tooth care set, but she'd also given her a lovely embroidered robe that would fit both her human and Pooka form. Next was a sewing kit from North, the sort he used in his own workshop. Jamie and Jack gave a joint gift of crystal daffodils that shined with the color of any surface they were placed on.

Bunnymund's own gift, aside from dinner and the cake, was his usual book on flowers, filled with his own personal notes on each that the original author didn't include. He promised her something more intimate once the got upstairs, and she giggled as they hurried to clean up.

Once all the wrapping was cleared away, Sophie noticed one more gift. It was wrapped in black paper that had a slight purple shimmer to it, and Bunnymund couldn't tell her who it came from for sure, but he had a guess. Bracing herself, she opened it carefully to find a hand carved obsidian box. The top was decorated with a rearing horse (_Nightmare,_ she thought) and inside there was a lovely silver locket. It held no picture, but she understood just why that was.

She sat admiring the box and locket until Bunnymund offered to help her put it on. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. It fit comfortably, and the chain was smooth so it wouldn't catch and pinch her fur.

"We have to help him," she said. Bunnymund nodded, hugging her gently.

"We will," he promised. This was just the latest in a long line of recent events that proved Kozmotis was still present in some form. Bunnymund just had to hope for Sophie's sake that he could be saved.


	29. Doing Something Ridiculous

"You've never done it?" Sophie asked skeptically. "Never once, not for fun or on accident? Not even a foot? Or a toe?"

"Not a single bloody fur, now stop asking," Bunnymund said, trying to focus on his eggs.

Easter had just passed, so they were devoting their time to relaxing. The previous week had been a rush of painting and hiding eggs and making chocolates. Hours before they had to head out to hide the eggs, the river got backed up, and as Sophie watched her mate clear the block, she got an idea into her head that would not pass. Now that Easter was over, she allowed herself to entertain the thought.

She watched him paint in silence for a moment, carefully choosing her next words.

"Do you think, perhaps we could?" she asked. He paused in his work, putting down the egg to check how serious she was.

"It'll take moths to come out," he said.

"I don't care," she told him. "It'll be fun, and amusing and stupid, and we need that. You're still stressed, even though Easter's over. Painting eggs won't help, since that causes the stress." Bunnymund considered for a moment, eyeing the egg he held before nodding.

"Awright, let's go fer a swim," he said, dropping what he held. Sophie cheered and grabbed his hand, dragging him over to the river and pulling off her vest, the only bit of clothing she wore these days. Bunnymund took a little longer to undress, but when he was ready, he took her hand and, on a count of three, they jumped into the river.

Sophie was surprised at how much like regular water it felt, but she didn't dare open her eyes, worried it would damage them in some way. She surfaced and wiped her dripping face before glancing at Bunnymund. He returned her look for a moment and they both burst out laughing, swimming into each others arms.

"You look ridiculous," she said.

"Aw, that's a shame, cause you look jus lovely," he said. She giggled and nuzzled him, then they turned to swim ashore. Once out of the river they shook out their fur and admired their new rainbow coloring. "Strewth, I do look like a drongo." Sophie rolled her eyes, pulling him down to lay beside her in the grass.

"Get used to it, Bunny, cause we're lookin this way for months," she said. He groaned in regret, but she knew he thought it was fun anyway.

"Well, be prepared," he said. "It's gonna carry over to yer human form." She nodded, giggling at the thought before stopping and looking at him.

"Bunny, how do you know how long this will last?" she asked. "And that it will be there when I turn human?" He grinned awkwardly, letting out a chuckle.

"I may have... fallen in once or twice," he admitted.

"Hm, fallen in?"

"Oh, awright, I'm the curious sort, you know that," he said, sitting up. "Used ta be in here all alone for months at a time, so, I saw no point in not doing it. Found out there's different ways ta get different colors and patterns dependin on how ya do it." Sophie listened in interest, her grin becoming devious. It was easy for him to predict her next words.

"Bunny..."

"Yeah, I know."

"We're going to do all of them." Bunnymund laughed and nodded, pulling her in for a nuzzle.

"Good thing we have all these years to try it," he said. Sophie smiled and nodded, since she couldn't agree more.


	30. Doing Something Sweet

Three months after their swim, Bunnymund and Sophie were still brightly colored and receiving no breaks from the others. Everyone had a joke about it, especially Jack, who was relentless in mocking them. He went so far as sneaking into the Warren to mock them often enough that Bunnymund decided to seal the tunnels and take Sophie on a little vacation.

Sophie wasn't sure exactly where they were, but she could tell it was summer, and they were surrounded by all the wonders of nature. Their scent resembled rabbits enough that the woodland creatures had no problem coming around them.

They spent their days looking for colorful flowers and plants to bring home for dyes and their nights under the stars, looking for constellations and planets. Weeks passed that way and their coloring began to fade enough that they decided it was time to go home.

On their last night out in the woods, Bunnymund set them up to watch a meteor shower. He spread out a blanket, brought out their dinner, and set up a telescope so they could watch.

"It's lovely," Sophie said, sitting beside him and starting to eat. He smiled, feeding her bites every once in a while. When the meal was finished, they snuggled together and watched as the meteors crossed the sky. The show lasted through the night, and as the sun rose, Sophie turned and nuzzled Bunnymund, never more content than she was in that moment.


	31. Doing Something Hot

Bunnymund and Sophie spent most of their time living as Pooka in the Warren, but some days, they liked to do things differently. They would pick a city at random, take on their human forms and spend the day as an ordinary couple. The day Sophie woke to find the dye had fully faded from their fur, she decided they would go on just such an outing. Bunnymund argued that it was too close to Easter, that he was overloaded with work, but she turned that right around on him. He needed a break.

After transforming and dressing, Sophie picked a tunnel at near random, only making sure they would come out in the southern hemisphere. It was too cold in the north for her liking, and she wanted Bunnymund to relax.

They emerged from the tunnel to see a brilliant sunny day. Sophie could smell the salty air and knew the sea was near.

"Beach day!" she said happily, throwing her arms around him. He chuckled and nodded, looking around once more.

"Good thing I know my way around here," he said as he led her into a shop. They picked out what they needed for the day and Bunnymund paid, baffling Sophie once more. She never knew where the money came from or how he always managed to have it in the proper currency, and he didn't volunteer any information, too amused with how it confused her.

Heading out from the shop, he led her quickly to the beach, looking out for a place to change as they arrived. Sophie looked with him for a moment until something much more interesting caught her eye. She hurried towards it, leaving him to follow in confusion. The moment he realized where she was headed, he stopped in his tracks.

"Soph, hon, ya don't want ta go there," he warned. She stopped and turned, grinning that devious grin of hers that always set him worrying.

"Yes, Bunny, I do," she said. "And you know you do too, you just want to pretend to be stodgy."

"I do not," he said, crossing his arms with a huff.

"Do not what, Bunny?" she asked. "Want to go? Or pretend to be stodgy?" They stood in silence for a moment until he gave in, smirking.

"Awright, fine," he said. "But ya can't complain if I get all the looks."

"Like you will," she said, rolling her eyes as she continued on. Just as she breached the border of the secluded beach, she began shedding her clothing. He watched her for a moment, surprised at the confidence with which she stripped.

"See something you like?" she asked. He smirked, shrugging off his over shirt, then his undershirt as well. Soon they were both fully nude, and they proceeded forward to find a place to set up their newly purchased blanket.

"Hm, who would have though, the Easter Bunny at a nude beach," she teased.

"Hey now, no one knows who I am here," he said, locating a clear space and laying out the blanket. "And no one will either. It's jus a day of fun for us."

"Hm, let's just hope that Mr. Fun doesn't show up," she said, sitting beside him and starting to apply sunblock. Bunnymund shuddered at the thought and turned to help her out, covering her back so it wouldn't be burned.

"Naw, he's too busy with winter up north," he said. She nodded, grateful for the fact. They sat in the sun for a few minutes, letting the sunblock soak in, then she took his hand and dragged him out to the water.

Not many others were out with them since it was mid morning in the middle of the week. None of the few others paid any attention to them, so they returned the favor as they swam together letting the light waves bring them back to shore when they got too far out.

Near noon they headed back to the blanket to catch their breath and dry off. Both were laughing joyously as they plopped down, and Bunnymund was grateful that she had talked him into going out. He turned to say as much but stopped dead at the sight of her laid out, wet skin sparkling in the sunlight.

Before he could stop himself, he leaned in to kiss her, and once her surprise passed, she returned the kiss with a heated passion. She opened her mouth to let him in and their tongues danced as he settled over her in a near indecent way. She hooked her legs around his hips causing his breath to stutter. A moan escaped her when he moved his lips to her neck, marking her visibly as his own.

It was quite a while later when they separated, their breathing heavy. They smiled at each other and shared a short, sweet kiss.

"Ya know, I'm really glad ya talked me inta comin out today," he said.

"Of course you are," she said, pulling him near and nuzzling him. "You know I'm always right about this sort of thing." He nodded and they lapsed into silence for a time, enjoying everything about the moment.

"Awright, time ta get back up," he said, sitting up and pulling her with. "We still got hours ta fill. The day ain't over yet!" Sophie grinned and nodded, stealing a kiss before pulling him back out the water.


	32. Epilogue

Sophie smiled to herself as she stretched out in a sunny patch of grass in the Warren. With Easter nearing once more, Bunnymund was busy again. This year, however, Sophie was much more easily tired than she had been before. Bunnymund thought little of it, knowing she put hard work into her plushies for the season. She knew there was a good reason for her tiredness, a very good reason indeed.

As she soaked up the sun, she rested a hand on her belly, marveling at how far her life had come. She'd always dreamed of a family with Bunnymund, and now they were so close to being there. Soon she would have to tell him so they could get a room ready, but it would stress him out, so she would wait a while longer.

Their life was nearly perfect now, but Sophie knew they still had to help Kozmotis, some how. _One thing at a time_, she thought, patting her belly. Once the baby was born, then they could get to work freeing the former General from the shadows' hold. For now, it was one step at a time, and the next step was to tell Bunnymund that he was going to be a daddy.


End file.
